In recent years the design of non-commercial type automotive vehicles has undergone a considerable change. That is, the trend, for the most part, has been, and is now, to eliminate the previously customary fully enclosed vehicular trunk compartment and to, instead, provide an open cargo area within the vehicle. Usually such an open cargo area is located rearwardly of the passenger seats. In vehicles which have two or more tandemly situated passenger seat assemblies it is not unusual to provide for suitable hinging means whereby the back rest portions of the rearwardly situated passenger seat assembly or assemblies may be pivotally swung generally forwardly and downwardly thereby placing the folded seat back in a plane generally extending the cargo support surface of the cargo carrying area.
Further, it has become popular in such vehicles to provide what is commonly referred to as a hatchback door. That is, such a door is usually one situated at the rear of the vehicle and pivotally swingable to and from open positions with the point or centerline of such swingable rotation being relatively high in the general roof structure of the vehicle. Such hatchback doors also contain a window therein with such window serving as the rear window of the vehicle when the hatchback door is closed. The provision of such a hatchback door, usually relatively large and often extending downwardly to the vicinity of the vehicular rear bumper, enables the easy loading and unloading of cargo through the rear of the vehicle.
A significant problem of such vehicles with open cargo areas, especially the hatchback type vehicle, is that whatever cargo is placed in the cargo area such is totally visible to anyone who looks through the vehicle windows. The fact that such cargo is visible adds to or creates the temptation for persons to break into the vehicle and steal such cargo. Such temptation is often given-in-to especially where the cargo is relatively costly as, for example, where the vehicle owner has possibly customized the vehicle by addition of radio speakers or the like in the cargo carrying area. However, the provision of a permanent fixed security panel as a cover in such cargo carrying area would defeat the purpose of such a generally open cargo area and significantly reduce its general utility especially where cargo of relatively large dimensions had to be transported.
The prior art has proposed various structures for functioning as a cover for the cargo within the otherwise open cargo area. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,060 dated Sept. 30, 1975 issued to Yutaka Katayama, discloses, in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, two upstanding stanchions 16 and 17 to which a pair of elastic cords 21--21 are secured as at 23. The respective other ends of such elastic cords 21--21 are secured as at 22--22 to the swingable end of the hatchback door or lid 14. An opaque flexible cover 24 extends from one of the elastic cords 21 to the other elastic cord 21 and is suitably secured thereto. When the hatchback door 14 is closed, the cover 24 and cords 21--21 assume a position as depicted in FIG. 1 and when the door 14 is opened the cover 24 and cords 21--21 assume a position as depicted in FIG. 2. Even though not specifically stated, it is assumed that if cords 21--21 can be secured at points 22--22 such cords 21--21 can also be detached from such points 22--22 if desired in situations where, for example, the size and/or configuration of the cargo possibly would not permit the use of the cover 24. In such event, the cover 24 and cords 21--21 become loose material within the cargo area since there is no provision for any specific storage of the cover assembly 20. FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 of said U.S.A. patent to Katayama discloses an arrangement similar to that of said FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 with the exception that the elastic cords 41--41 and cover 44 are secured at one end to the top 36 of a rearwardly situated second seat assembly 39. Otherwise the operation thereof is the same as that of the embodiment in said FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,301 dated Nov. 28, 1978, issued to Daniel J. Syrowik (hereinafter referred to as "Syrowik patent"), discloses various cargo cover arrangements. FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 illustrate a rigid shelf-like structure 26 medially hinged as at 64 and provided with pin members 58 respectively received in retainer-like supports 78. The outer periphery, along the sides, is formed as to be closely received within the vehicle and yet have vehicular protrusions such as at 110 and 112 serve to support the rearward end of the cover or panel means 26. Such an arrangement, of course, presents real problems when the cargo to be carried does not fit under the panel means 26. In those situations, the panel means 26 must be removed from the back of the vehicular seat 14, folded along the pivotal axis of hinge means 64 and placed either into the passenger area (if possible) or placed onto the floor of the cargo carrying area thereby itself taking space from the cargo to be carried. FIGS. 7 and 8 of the "Syrowik patent" disclose a structure similar to that of FIGS. 1-6 of the "Syrowik patent" with the exception that the support pins 58--58 are located along the respective sides of the panel means 26 and are respectively received within supports 78 carried by the sides of the vehicle instead of the seat as in said FIGS. 1-6. The problems herein pointed-out with respect to the embodiment of "Syrowik patent" FIGS. 1-6 apply equally well to the embodiment of "Syrowik patent" FIGS. 7 and 8.
FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 of the "Syrowik patent" disclose a rigid cover panel 26 hingedly secured to the rear side of the seat assembly back rest and supported by stops or abutments 154 and 156 respectively carried by opposite interior sides of the vehicle. In this arrangement it is effectively impossible to carry cargo, in the cargo area, which has a height greater than the elevation of the rigid cover panel 26 without first folding the seat assembly back rest to its fully folded position at 14b. If there are passengers needing such seat, the cargo and the passengers cannot be transported at the same time.
FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 of the "Syrowik patent" illustrate a form of cargo cover 26 which may be formed of relatively thin and flexible material and, along three sides thereof, provided with first portions 168 of snap fastener assemblies the second portions 170 of which are carried as by the interior walls of the vehicle and the rear surface of the seat assembly back rest. Such an arrangement is at least somewhat inconvenient to install, generally susceptible to tearing when disengaging the snap fastener assemblies and likely to become damaged as when, for example, cargo is being removed from the cargo area without first removing the thin flexible cover panel 26.
FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 of the "Syrowik patent" illustrate a window-shade type of roller and cover assembly carried as by the seat assembly back rest. The cover 26 has its free end secured, as by detachable hooks, to the swingable end of the hatchback door 18. As in window-shade roller assemblies a spring tends to wind the fabric cover 26 upon the roller assembly 178.
FIG. 18 of the "Syrowik patent" illustrates an arrangement very similar to that of said U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,060 with the exception that the cover panel 26 is rigid and, instead of elastic cords 21, sliding tube support hooks 228 and 230 are provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,231 dated Feb. 13, 1979, and issued to David Lang et al (hereinafter referred to as the "Lang patent") discloses a cargo cover assembly 10 having a roller tube 20 into which are assembled opposite end assemblies 24 and 26. The end assembly 24 is merely an idler-like assembly whereas end assembly 26contains a coiled spring 54 which has its inner end secured to an anchored shaft 52 (anchored when installed in the vehicle) and its outer end secured to the roller tube 20. A flexible cover 22 is wound about the roller tube 20 and it is intended that the coiled spring 54 cause rotation of the roller tube to thereby wind the cover 22 onto the roller tube 20 (as when the cover 22 is either detached from the hatchback door 18 or the door 18 is swung shut from the position shown in FIG. 1B of the "Lang patent"). One of the very real problems of this structure is that in order to obtain the necessary functional extension (travel) of the cover 22 and still have sufficient spring force, the diametral size of the end housing 26 must be quite large in order to contain a coiled spring of sufficient capacity. This, in turn, causes the roller tube 20 to also become excessively large in its diameter. Further, the structure of the "Lang patent", as well as others hereinbefore discussed, fail to provide for axial length adjustment of the overall roller-cover assembly as to thereby be capable of being employed within vehicles of differing interior widths.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,094 dated Sept. 18, 1979, and issued to Takeo Yagi (hereinafter referred to as the "Yagi patent"), does not disclose any particular spring or associated structure for causing the flexible cover 3 to be wound upon the cover roller or tube 13. In regard to this the "Yagi patent" merely states: "To this end, the take-up shaft 13 should preferably be endowed with a spring bias for the take-up by a torque spring or the like". The "Yagi patent" is primarily directed to providing an end assembly which will enable the effective extension or contraction of the overall axial length of the entire cargo covering assembly. Various embodiments are disclosed in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 14 of the "Yagi patent" with the structures of FIGS. 5 and 14 being the same. In the embodiment of FIG. 5 of the "Yagi patent", a relatively short protuberant shaft 17 rotatably supports a tubular roller 13 which, in turn, carries the flexible cover 3. The short protuberant shaft 17 has a cylindrical hollow portion 19 which slidably receives a still shorter support shaft 11 as by an enlarged portion 20. The outwardly projecting end of shaft 11 is made square or the like while the body portion 20 is provided with a lug or key portion 22 slidably received within an axially extending slot 23 in shaft 17. The squared end of shaft 11 and the cooperating key portion 22 and slot 23 are intended to prevent rotation of end portion 15, shaft 17 and the outer barrel 14 relative to the vehicle in which the overall assembly is installed. It is not explained as to how the shaft 11 and body portion 20 are to be received (assembled into) within hollow portion 19 and yet have the lug or key 22 slidably received and contained within slot 23. Further, in the embodiment of FIG. 5 of the "Yagi patent", only shaft 11 is intended to have relative axial movement and therefore the position of end wall 15 is unchanged regardless of the axial position of shaft 11. This, in turn, means that in those situations where the overall assembly is installed in a vehicle and shaft 11 is near or at its maximum extended condition, end wall 15 will be spaced near or at a maximum distance from the juxtaposed interior surface of the vehicle thereby detracting from the aesthetic qualities of the overall assembled combination of vehicle and cargo cover assembly.
FIG. 6 of the "Yagi patent" attempts to disclose structure by which an end wall-like cup shaped member 42 moves axially with an integrally formed support shaft portion 33. An intermediate generally tubular member 38 is intended to operatively interconnect cup shaped member 42 to the outer barrel 36. Lugs, keys or key-abutments 45 and 46, integrally formed with tubular member 38, are intended to be respectively slidably received within closed-ended key or guide slots 43 and 44 formed in the wall of cup shaped member 42. It is not explained as to how lugs or keys 45 and 46 are to be inserted within slots 43 and 44 especially since the outer cylindrical surface of intermediate member 38 is to be closely slidably received within the inner cylindrical surface of cup shaped member 42. Further, as should be apparent, when cup shaped member 42 is at or near its axially fully extended position the amount of contact between intermediate member 38 and cup shaped member 42 is very little thereby resulting in high stress concentrations in such area of contact at least tending to distort the open end of cup shaped member 42 and possibly result in a failure of such sliding joint. An unintentional leaning thereagainst by a person would most probably cause such a failure.
FIGS. 7 and 8 of the "Yagi patent" disclose structure attempting to achieve that intended by the structure of FIG. 6 but without the use of either a spring or lugs and slots as in FIG. 6. That is, in FIGS. 7 and 8, the cup shaped end member 54 is closely slidably received about an intermediate generally tubular member 53 in which is formed a cam-like groove 55. A thumb screw 56, 57 or the like is threadably carried by the cup shaped end member 54 as to have the shank portion 57 thereof within the cam groove or slot 55. It is intended that when the cup like end member 54 is positioned at the desired axial position, relative to intermediate member 53, the thumb screw 56, 57 is tightened against cam surface 55 and thereby locked against axial movement toward the intermediate member 53. Some of the problems of such an arrangement are that the visible screw 56, 57 presents a temptation to those who are not familiar with its purpose often resulting in the loosening thereof and causing the operational disengagement of the entire cargo cover assembly from the vehicle in which it was installed. Further, more often than not, screws and locking systems of this nature are highly susceptible to becoming loosened due to induced vibrations resulting during vehicle operation. When such become sufficiently loosened, the overall cargo cover assembly is in condition for operational disengagement from the associated vehicle.
FIG. 9 of the "Yagi patent" discloses another embodiment attempting to achieve that intended by the structure of FIG. 6. In FIG. 9 a cup shaped end member 59 is threadably engaged with an intermediate generally tubular member 62. The approach, in employing the FIG. 9 embodiment, is to align the support shaft portion 58 with the cooperating bearing support, of the associated vehicle, and to then threadably rotate end cup shaped member 59 until the support shaft 58 is suitably received within the vehicular bearing support. Again, such an arrangement is susceptible to the unauthorized rotation of the end cup shaped member 59 as well as to rotation due to induced vibrations either of which, of course, may lead to the operational disengagement of the overall cargo cover assembly from the associated vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,601 dated Sept. 16, 1980, issued to James E. White et al (hereinafter referred to as the "White patent"), discloses, as a preferred embodiment, a cargo cover assembly which, if accidentally dislodged from its associated vehicular supports, will lock the end members from rotation as to thereby prevent loss of torsional potential energy from the axially extending helically wound torsion spring 68. The structure as generally disclosed in the "White patent" is rather difficult and costly to manufacture and has operational characteristics not best suited for use. More particularly, the take-up spring 68 in the "White patent" is a helically wound axially extending torsion spring which must be fitted about the outer diameter of the centrally disposed main rod 40 and then have one end, of such spring 68, secured to the rod 40 as by rivet 70 or the like. It is known that where a torsion spring such as 68 is provided about a shaft or rod 40 and the spring is to undergo twisting, as to thereby develope or exhibit a resilient force, such a spring will often, if not usually, create noise. In order to reduce such noise, the structure of the "White patent" is provided with tubular members 90 and 92 respectively situated along the outer diameter and inner diameter of the spring 68. Such tubes 90 and 92 are intended to serve as a silencing or damping means with regard to spring 68. The provision of tubes 90 and 92 create problems during assembly of the structure as viewed in FIG. 3 of the "White patent". For example, since spring 68 has an end which extends even beyond the outer diameter of spring 68, it is apparent that the inner tube 92 must be inserted from the left end (as viewed in said FIG. 3) of the helically coiled spring 68. That, in turn, requires that either the spring 68 be first placed about the tube 40 and the inner tube 92 then inserted from the left end as to be between spring 68 and tube or rod 40 or that the buffer tube 92 be first inserted within spring 68 and such a subassembly be then slid onto support tube 40. Only after that can the left end of spring 68 be secured to the support tube 40 as by the rivet 70. Further, since the rivet 70 is generally enclosed by the outer tube 90, such outer tube 90 can be assembled about the outer diameter of spring 68 only after rivet 70 is affixed. The support tube 40, riveted spring 68, and buffer tubes 90 and 92 may then be inserted into the roller tube 20 and the bearing 44 (a portion of which is illustrated at the left end of FIG. 3 of the "White patent") may then be inserted as to both support the left end of roller tube 20 with respect to support tube 40 and to serve as an axial abutment for outer buffer tube 90. Next, the support tube 40 and roller tube 20 must be rotated relative to each other as to place the end 88 of spring 68 in abutting engagement with anchor groove 28. Only thereafter bearing member 42 may be inserted into roller tube 20 and about support tube 40 and slid as to have the longitudinally extending portion (of spring 68), which carries end portion 88, slidably received within either of the cut-out portions 84 or 86 of bearing member 42. All of such sequences of assembly, location and alignment are time consuming and costly.
Another problem associated with the structure of the "White patent" is the action of the helically wound axially extending spring 68. More particularly, spring 68 increases in spring force in direct proportion to its twisting (or unit of deflection). For example, if it takes 0.5 lbs. of force to pull the cover 22 an initial 1.0 foot from its fully "rolled-up" condition, it will take 1.0 lbs. of force to pull the cover 22 an additional 1.0 foot. This, of course, is in addition to the initial preload of spring 68 when the cover 22 is in its fully "rolled-up" condition on roller tube 20. Consequently, as the cover 22 is being pulled-out to cover the associated cargo area and for attachment as to the hatchback door, the force necessary to complete such an operation continually increases and becomes at least uncomfortable if not a definite and burdensome strain.
The invention as herein disclosed and described is directed to an improved cargo area cover assembly which is simple to manufacture, effective in its operation and if not totally eliminating the problems of the prior art, then at least greatly minimizing such.